When It Hurts, Say So: A Lament Prayer (Psalm 13) | Evening Meditations

Settle in. Wherever you are right now, you can keep your eyes open. You don't need a quiet room to pray. Take one slow breath in. And let it out. Tonight, we're going to do something a lot of churches skip. We're going to complain to God. It's called a lament, and the Bible has more of them than you'd think. God makes room for this. Here's one, Psalm 13. How long, Lord, will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? Notice the writer doesn't clean it up. He says it to God's face. And one more, Psalm 27, verse 10, "Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me." Maybe somebody who was supposed to protect you didn't. That's a real loss. You're allowed to be angry about it. You're allowed to say it wasn't fair. Let's lament together four steps. One, tell God who let you down. Say it plainly. Don't soften it. (dramatic music) Two, tell him what it cost you. (dramatic music)

Three, ask him for what you need. Not a speech, just the ask. (dramatic music) Four, if you can, say the end of that first Psalm, but I trust in your unfailing love. If you can't say that yet, say, "I want to trust you." That's honest, too. (dramatic music) Let's pray. God, this hurts, and I'm saying so. I'm not going to pretend. Hold me while I'm angry. Hold me while I'm sad. Meet me here, amen. (dramatic music) (dramatic music) Rest when you can. You are not forgotten. Amen. (dramatic music) [MUSIC PLAYING]